Timingis Everything
by Celtic Ember
Summary: The virus expires, sending Max and Logan running from an assassin sent to finish the job. Epilogue Added. Read it!
1. It starts

Disclaimer: We all know that Fox, JC, and CE owns the Dark Angel Universe. The plot, and Jane, is mine, but that's about it. If these were mine, this whole virus bitch would be a thing of the past!!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
I don't know. Is there a future here? I'm looking down at him, while he's fast asleep. Who knew that the virus would expire after a while? I guess Renfro wasn't as much of a bitch as I thought she was. Or maybe not. After all, if I had gotten knocked up after our reunion, she'd want the kid. And this virus thing would probably have killed it. Anyway, it expired five months after we took down Manticore. Last night, as a matter of fact. Who knew?  
  
I felt the change. It was like something dirty just left my system, and I ran and threw up for three hours. Logan was worried, so he made me go to the doc. Tests said the virus was gone. Like I never had it in the first place. No antibodies, no dead virus, just gone. We just stood there, stunned. For the first time in six months, he reached out and stroked my face. I was so scared. If I had lost him at that point, I would have gone to find Zach, and escaped to Canada with him. When nothing happened, we just looked at each other. And kept looking. Doc cleared his throat, and we broke apart. But not for long. We must have set a new land speed record getting to his place. We would have gone to mine, but his was closer. We pulled into the garage, hopped out of the car, and headed up stairs. Strangely enough, we didn't kiss, or do anything but hold hands. I guess we still had the caution of five months of separation. Either that or we knew we would be able to stop at one.  
  
Maybe emotions really do make you weak. Maybe that's why my stomach was quivering, and my head was dizzy. Or maybe it was something else. Bling and Asha were here when we came in. Bling took one look at me, and then at Logan and asked if we were crazy, if one night of passion was worth Logan's life. Then he noticed our interlinked fingers, and looked closely at Logan face. I was getting pretty desperate, hysterical is probably a better word, and I started to laugh. Then I looked at Asha. My laughter died in my throat. She looked fallen. Bling hurried her out, and the penthouse was ours. Logan, in his exoskeleton, leaned over and kissed me. Hesitant at first, and then when nothing happened, more deeply. The fires that we had kept banked roared to life, and clothing went flying faster then a tornado. We couldn't stop until we had each other naked, and in our arms. Even the fact that we had to remove Logan's  
  
Exoskeleton didn't slow us down.  
  
Now we're here. And I don't know what to do. My heart is thumping as I brush a lock of hair off of his forehead. I'm so scared that the virus might pop back up, and surprise us both. Doc assured me that that couldn't happen without spores or something at least, and there were none. I guess that means we might be safe after all. All of a sudden, his eyes open. He looks so cute, blinking the sleep from his eyes.  
  
"Don't leave. I'll make you breakfast." He said, trying to keep his voice neutral. I hear the fear anyway. My decision is made for me in that moment. I can't leave. It would kill a part of me.  
  
"Logan, I tried to tell you something in the woods that night. Did you hear me?"  
  
He looks at me, his eyes troubled. "No. I thought you were trying to say good-bye, and I didn't want to hear it. Ever."  
  
I look him in the eyes, willing him to see what I'm going to say. "Logan, I tried to tell you I love you."  
  
His eyes widen, and he looks at me the way a drowning man would look a life preserver. He grabs me with his surprisingly strong arms, and pulls me down into his arms. I touch his face, and find it wet with tears.  
  
"Logan, why?" I ask, nervous. Maybe for him it was just sex.  
  
"I never hoped for this."  
  
"What?" I ask, confused.  
  
"You. Mine. Me, yours. I love you too, Max. When I thought Id lost you, I lost part of myself."  
  
Overjoyed, I start pattering kisses over his face. Then my pager beeps.  
  
"I'll ignore it" I grumble at the interruption.  
  
"Shit! It's 10:10. You're really late for work, Max." Logan looks at me, and I am reminded of my responsibilities. It's time to return to reality.  
  
"Damn it. Well, I guess I'd better get moving. Am I invited for supper?"  
  
"I'm just you meal ticket." Logan laughs.  
  
"Of course. Why else would I be here?"  
  
"Don't know." He grins, giving me a kiss.  
  
I hop out of bed and get dressed. For now, I've got to blaze. I'll be back after work. Damn, but I love this touching thing.  
  
End, Chapter 1 


	2. A Disturbing Discovery

I take my cycle home, and swap it for my bike. Pedaling as fast as my transgenic ass can move, I get to Jam pony by 10:30. Original Cindy was just getting back from a run.  
  
"Yo, Boo! Where've you been? I been trying to keep Normal from firing your ass!"  
  
"Sorry" I say, and the grin that I'd been trying to keep hidden escaped. Cindy looked closely at me and started to laugh. "Worth it, huh? You and Roller Boy finally kick it?"  
  
"I'm not even gonna answer that one." I say, with a mock pissed off look.  
  
Then I grin at her again, and she smiled. "Bout time, Boo. Tell me details later!"  
  
"As if!" I exclaim, and start to blush.  
  
"Hey, Max, nice of you to join us. Hot run, 1012 81st street. It's all yours."  
  
I look at Cindy, laugh again, and grab the package. Even Normal can't piss me off today. It's pouring outside, but I happily hop on my bike and get going. I can hear Normal bipping in the background. The faster I finish, the faster I can get back to Logan.  
  
I'm trying to keep Normal from making me work overtime tonight, so I get 10 runs done in four hours. As I bike out on my 11th, I decide it's time to slack off and head over to Joshua's. I mean, I haven't seen the big guy in a week, and Alec might have corrupted him in whole new ways since I saw him last.  
  
I walk up and pick the lock. After all, no friendly would knock on the door for Joshua. I walk in, and I see him. He's lying on the floor, his head bleeding, and another 'nomalie is bending over him. It turns, and as far as I can see, it's got as much cat DNA as Joshua has dog. I go into action, and it dodges me. We circle, and Joshua begins to regain consciousness. He sees us fighting, neither of us able to land a blow, and then it notices that he's awake. It starts fighting harder, catching me across the side with a claw, so I pull out all the stops and I land a spin kick at its solar plexus. It goes down with a pitiful meow, and lays still.  
  
Joshua struggles to his feet. He runs over to it and starts to whine, making little doggy noises of distress.  
  
"No! Little fella, this is friend! Not hurt Joshua. Defend against bad guy. Metal…Metal head? No. Steel Head. You kill!"  
  
"No. I didn't kill it. Who is it, and how does it know where you are?" I'm confused as hell, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.  
  
"This Jane. She second. She has first bar code. She X1-001. Lydecker though she was dead. I hid her, and she escaped when it burned. Friend!!"  
  
I shake my head, deciding he's obviously got it all under control. "All right! I give! Anyway, I thought that you might like to know. The plan's been carried out." I look at him with that same sloppy grin on my face, and he clues in.  
  
"Max and Logan getting busy, that plan?" Joshua gets this sappy look on his face. Now I know where the expression puppy love comes from.  
  
"Yup. That plan." I hear sardonic laughter behind me, and Alec walks in. I told you no friendly ever knocks. That is, if you can call Alec a friendly.  
  
"You mean that we've been scouring for a cure and you found one without telling us? Max!" I can tell he's actually kind of hurt, since his voice is devoid of his usual sarcasm, so I hasten to explain.  
  
"No! It expired. It was actually kind of weird. I got really, throwing up sick, and Logan made me go to doctor Carr, and when he did some blood work, it turned out that the virus had disappeared. Like it was never there, he said. So we let nature take its course. I guess timing is everything.  
  
Alec looks momentarily shocked, and then shakes himself.  
  
"So that's what she meant." He said so softly I wasn't sure I heard him right.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked, holding my temper in check.  
  
"She told Brin that you had to get to Eyes Only within a time period, or she would have to send someone else in. That was why she was so pleased when you escaped when you did."  
  
"So, what happens now? I ask, nervous. "Will someone try to come kill him now that the virus won't?"  
  
"I wouldn't bet against it." Alec looked at me, and took my package.  
  
"Get him out of here." I didn't need to be told twice. Even though that Manticore facility was burned to the ground, there are more. And Renfro was in communication with them. In fact, most of Alec's unit was stationed at one.  
  
"Gotta blaze! I told Joshua, and ran out the door. 


	3. Reunited

1 Chapter 3  
  
I pedaled over to Logan's as fast as my adrenaline filled body would let me. I made it in less then ten minutes, terrified about what I might find. After all, Alec would have reported who he actually was while he was still a soldier. On my way, I started thinking about ways that I could bring Logan out to safety. His Aztec was definitely out, and so was any form of public transportation. They'd consider any civilian's acceptable collateral damage. I get to his house, and I notice a dark shadow steadily scaling the building, and know I'm almost too late. I run upstairs, and make it just as the X-5 comes in through the skylight. Logan hears my frantic shout, and he immediately starts sprinting for the door. Thank god for his exoskeleton.  
  
I stand up, and look at my opponent. The scratch that "Jane" gave to me was throbbing, but that wasn't what nearly made me fall over. I was facing Jondy.  
  
"No. They caught you, too?" I whispered, unable to believe that my sister, my best friend, was now the enemy.  
  
"Caught me? They caught YOU! Krit warned me that you would try to kill Logan. So I came to get him out. It took me longer than I thought. Lucky for me, this has to be the first mission you've been sent on. They wouldn't have left him alive this long if they had sent you out sooner."  
  
My sisters eyes were so full of pain, of hurt while she told me what the figured had happened to me.  
  
"Jondy, how long has it been since you talked to the others?" I asked, not moving, trying to keep my stance unthreatening.  
  
" Not since right after you were captured. They didn't want to risk leading you to me or Case. I see they were right. My timing was everything, it seems."  
  
"Jondy, I escaped. And I can prove it. I burned down Manticore. But we have to get Logan out of here because there is someone coming to kill him. Since the virus expired, they have someone coming. And they won't be long."  
  
"Logan! Come back, it's all right!" I shouted, and though Jondy tried to shield him from me, he came back out of where he was hiding."  
  
"What's going on, love?" he asked, his eyes worried as he caught sight of Jondy. "Who's she?"  
  
"Logan, I'd like you to meet my sister. Could you please tell her that I'm not here to try and kill you? Then we can leave before the person standing on the skylight can join our little party."  
  
"Kill me? How long has she been out of touch?"  
  
"Oh! Shit, I forgot to call Tinga down. Tinga!!"  
  
Both Logan and Jondy spoke at once. The figure hiding in the skylight swooped down, and hugged me. Then she started to issue orders.  
  
"There are three Manticore humvees blocking the exits. No one has made a move, but I can hear Brin issuing orders. I don't know for sure, but I think that there might be two or three others down there with her. I heard that many voices. We have to move fast. I'll take Logan and head around the back, and meet you two at Jam Pony. It's crowded enough that we'll be able to warn Max's friends, and get the hell out of there. We can get lost in the crowd. We're heading from there through safe houses to a hidden location. Now, move!"  
  
Jondy and I left through the front and back doors, trying to distract the guards. They refused to take the bait. They just stood there like stooges, while an X5 from Alec's unit directed them. We were lucky enough to keep them distracted from the roof, but when they realized Logan was gone, they tried to take it out on us. Just as we were losing, and things were starting to look serious, I heard a growl and a hiss behind me. The guards all of a sudden found themselves fighting both a transgenic and a 'nomalie at once, and even the other X5 backed off. Joshua was helping Jondy on the other side of the building, but Jane was busy helping me. She gave me a look that plainly said 'go on. These are mere mice to me'. I knew I had to meet Tinga and Logan, so with a nod, I hurried away. I would leave a message for Joshua with Alec. They obviously hadn't found him yet.  
  
We met in Jam Pony and the few tails we had, we quickly lost in all traffic. I caught both Original Cindy and Alec in between runs, and Alec was busily covering for me.  
  
"Max had an emergency. Life or Death. She said that…. Good. Max, you tell Normal why you left early."  
  
"Normal, no time, death squad on my ass. I'll be back when I can. Fire me if you hafta, but I'm gonna want this job back if I survive. Alec, take care of Joshua. Tell him I'm following the plan. Original, if you can, keep my stuff. I gotta go. Tinga, Jondy, lets move out."  
  
Normal merely stuttered something along the lines of giving my pay to Original Cindy for when I get back.  
  
I sailed out of there without a backward glance. My big brother didn't give me his heart so that I could have it shot out again. I know he's happy ranching, but I still think it would be lousy to repay his sacrifice by getting shot again. Logan looks at me, and I can see that while he's scared out of his mind, he's also excited. We haven't been on a good adventure in months. This one was more dangerous then most, but hey, at least the timing was good. I needed a break.  
  
End, Chapter 3 


	4. On the Run

1 Chapter 4  
  
It's been three days since we left Seattle. We're stopped in a cabin right now, one of the many safe houses that my sisters and brothers had been busily arranging ever since they started finding each other. They make me feel guilty, since I know that while I was caught up in my own life, angsting about Logan, they were busy arranging ways for us all to escape for good.  
  
Logan comes and sits next to me. He likes to stroke my hair, and we sit in front of the cosy fireplace that seems to be the primary heat source for this cabin. We don't say anything, just sit in companionable silence, leaving each other to our thoughts. We haven't been together since that first night. There just hasn't been time. My sisters leave us alone enough to give us privacy, but I know that this is not the time or place for us. So we content ourselves with the physical contact that was so long denied to us, and we carefully talk about mundane things when we do talk. That one night is enough to sustain me for now.  
  
I don't want to tell the others, but I don't think we can get across the border. Brin has to know that the first places we'll head will be either Mexico or Canada. Of the two, she knows that Canada is closer. I'm just glad we managed to grab Charlie and Chase on our way out of town. They may slow us down, but Manticore almost killed Tinga once by using Chase. Emotions towards him were what made her weak. They knew it.  
  
I'm scared. I don't want to admit it, but I'm terrified of Canada, and that fear is making me weak. All my life, I've been taught and trained by both Lydecker and life that fear will only get me killed. But how do I keep myself from fearing the unknown? Look what happened the last time I took a jump into the unknown. I got my freedom, kept myself from being an unpaid soldier/slave, but also had to fight my ass off just to stay alive. This time, I know I'm not alone. All I have to do is look behind me at Logan, and the love in his eyes.  
  
That makes it even worse. When I could go on not caring, or pretending not to care, I didn't have to worry that I would get someone else killed. But Logan is my family, too. I didn't believe in the fairy tales, the happily ever afters when the Prince bailed out the beggar girl and they fell madly in love. But I guess they do come true. After all, the timing is everything. Maybe we will make it.  
  
A gunshot startles me out of my mental meandering. I have to protect Logan. I shove him into a hidden closet along with Tinga's family, and I go out to join my sisters. Another shot rings out in the woods, and to my amazement, Jondy grabs a flute that is sitting by the door and plays a complicated six-bar set. Just as I'm about to take away the instrument, incredulous that she would compromise our safety, people start melting out of the trees and into view. Apparently, the shot was a signal. My heart leaps as I recognize the people coming towards me. I see Krit, Zane, and Syl. Several younger people with bar codes also materialize, and I realize that there are X6's and 7's. I run to my sister and brothers, and with bone crushing hugs, we reunite. I can see why getting over the border isn't apparently a worry to this intrepid group.  
  
I turn to Tinga and Jondy, and half angrily ask why they hid the norms.  
  
"Were you trying to give me a heart attack? I thought we'd been found!"  
  
"We had to take precautions. After all, it could have been the bad guys."  
  
Zane looked at me speculatively. He had been a bit hesitant at returning my hug, and I thought I knew why.  
  
"Go ahead. Test me. I've been hiding for three days. If I was working for Manticore, don't you think that I would have reported in by now?"  
  
"You were caught. So was Brin. Looking at her, it would be logical to assume you had either ended up like her, or like Ben. Although you did have something to do with both of those, didn't you, sis?"  
  
I flinch as he reminded me of what I had to do to our brother. My mind replays leaving Brin on a bench, and seeing Tinga in that tank. She just barely survived that, Lydecker founder the air pump and got her lungs going again. That reminded me of Zach. I look at Zane, wounded to the core, and I turn back to the house. I'm teetering between outright rage and horrible, bleeding hurt. I don't know if I can take another reminder of my poor big brother, alone at a ranch, with none of his siblings around him.  
  
Jondy comes looking for me, knowing that that I'll be up here, on the roof. Out of all of my siblings, she's always understood me best. We just sit here, in silence, looking at the stars and moon, hearing the crickets chirp, and I wonder if my brilliant big brother is doing the same thing. I haven't checked on him lately. The others "know" he died to save me. They don't know that a tiny part of me died too, when I let him go by without telling him who I was. None of them know that. I shake myself, and head back into the house. Jondy silently follows. It's going to be a long night, and I have to find out why Zane seems to hate me. Precious lives, Logan's life, depends on no friction between us.  
  
End, Chapter 4 


	5. Escape

1 Chapter 5  
  
I go in, and I find Logan sitting on the couch looking nervous. After all, his life has become very populated by people with bar-codes on their necks since he met me, and there is no way he's ever seen this many of us together outside of Manticore before. Hell, I've never even seen this many of us outside of Manticore before! I gave him a quick kiss, reveling in the fact that I could touch him, and continued through to find Zane.  
  
I found him up a tree, keeping watch the same way that Zach used to. The reminder is another prick to my heart, and I know that with Zach gone and me incapacitated, he had taken over the roll of CO. He was always so gentle, that I start to get the idea of how he could get so angry with me. I know I have to tell him the truth about Zach, and why I had to let him go. He very well could decide to go and get him, forcing me and Logan on the run by ourselves. I wouldn't blame him for that right now. Not when I know how much the decision to let him go cost me, let alone the others. And, from the looks of it, cost Zane as well.  
  
"Zane." I say softly, and his head whips around towards me.  
  
"Max." He nods, and goes back to look out duty. When he senses that I haven't left, he turns back to me. "You always were the best at stealth. What do you want?"  
  
Taking a gamble, I whisper "I want to tell you what happened to Zach." He looks at me steadily for a moment, and points to the branch above him. I climb up beside him, and then leap up one more branch, and take the opposite look out. Zane shifts restlessly, and then orders "Talk."  
  
"Zach could have escaped. They had me, but his was only a flesh wound to his upper arm. He could have ran."  
  
"We knew that!" Zane interrupts harshly.  
  
"If you would let me continue?" He nods, and I keep going. Slowly, painfully, the words emerge from my throat, almost on their own volition. "What you don't know is that I died. My ventricle had been shot away, and Renfro ordered me prepped for harvesting. Zach broke free of the guards holding him, and demanded that they take Renfro's heart to transplant me with. She told him that I needed an X5 heart, and laughed. Her laughter was so cold…." I break off for a moment, and look at Zane. My tears are plainly running down my face. My brother sits below me, stone faced, not even noticing that he is holding my hand as I go on.  
  
"Zach threw her at the wall. He hugged me, hard, and said 'You keep fighting them, Maxie. Promise me you'll fight them.' And then he took one of the guards guns, announced 'X5-599, I've got a heart for you!', and shot himself in the head."  
  
Zane twitched on his branch, and began to weep. "So he is dead. We thought he had to be. He always said that he'd rather die then go back to Manticore."  
  
"That's just it. He's not dead. I thought he was too. But just before I made my escape, that bitch took me to a secret room. She showed me Zach. He was in a machine that was keeping him alive, while they took out his organs and used them on other X5s. She told me that he was being transferred to another facility, and wanted me to say goodbye. She knew that she hadn't broken me, and she thought that he would do it. She was wrong. It made me escape faster."  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TRY TO SAVE HIM?" The words burst forth from Zane, full of such anguish and grief, that I couldn't really blame him for being mad at me.  
  
"I tried. He was already gone. A month ago, Logan found footage from some steelheads robbery of an electronic store. Zach was on it. He had cybernetic implants. I went to go track him down." My voice by this time had become dry, almost mechanical. I couldn't go on unless I separated myself from the events as they were happening. "I got him back, and he started to remember. But he remembered the wrong things. He thought himself a freak, thought that he had failed. And he thought he and I were lovers. That, combined with torture he had endured at Manticore, made him go after Logan. When I was protecting Logan, the electric shock from the wire Zach ripped lose wiped his circuitry clean. I made the choice. I gave him up, and when he came to, I gave him a new identity with Logan's help. He's a ranch hand in Montana. I try to justify it to myself by saying he finally has a normal life. It was the hardest choice I ever had to make."  
  
Zane looked at me for a long moment, and then the tears that had been sliding down his face were wiped away with an impatient hand.  
  
"You gave up our leader for this… Logan?" The words were very quiet, but the had an understrength of cold iron.  
  
"I did. I had to. But if you decide, along with the others, to bring him back, Logan and I will go it on our own. All I'll ask is that you let me know where Zach is, so we can stay the hell away from him. I love my brother, but I love Logan, too. And I only just got him back."  
  
"Why did you tell me this, 452? Why couldn't you have just let him die in our hearts, without giving me this temptation to bring him back?" His calculated insult of using my bar code, after what I had just gone through to tell him, sent me over the edge. I leapt down, and challenged Zane to a fight. God knows, we both needed one to clear the air.  
  
Jondy, Tinga and Syl came out to watch silently. They knew that something important was being decided on this dewy patch of grass. Zane landed, not with grace but with ferocity. And the fight was on. Whether we knew we were fighting for leadership, or merely a validation of ourselves, I have yet to figure out. But in that moment, there was nothing but trained reactions, spin-kicks and punches. And when it is all said and done, Zane is on the ground, and I am still standing, with my demons shooting fire from my eyes.  
  
1.1  
  
End, Chapter 5 


	6. Exhileration

1 Chapter 6  
  
Strangely enough, Zane no longer seems to have a problem with me. He's not as easy with me as Jondy, of course, but in the 48 hours since our battle of wills, he seems to be fine. He has deferred the CO's job to me, with him as my XO, and I guess that makes sense, in a way. To escape Manticore, we're going to have to use all of its training. Gotta love the irony of that. Right after he picked himself off the ground, we headed into the house, gathered up the rest of our unit, and told them about Zach. Much to my surprise, no one suggested bringing him with us. Tinga explained why.  
  
"Max, if we went to get him, it would tear him out of the normal life he's always wanted, and tear you out of our lives. It would also endanger the unit. What other little goodies did Manticore put into his brain? They just might include shooting us all when we're all together. "  
  
She made sense, and god was I happy to hear it. That is, except for the small part of me that it kills to know that I can never see my brother again. So now, I'm in control, and Krit has gone to Montana to check on Zach. He's going to stay for two days as a guest, and introduce himself as his cousin. He's also going to tell Zach the bar code was a cousin pact, so he won't try to have it removed. That would give the show away. And if he starts to remember, there will be no mention of me. That way Zach has support, and Logan is safe. That's what I keep telling myself. We've been traveling steadily north now for five days. We will cross the Canadian border at 02:00, local time. We're all kind of nervous, because for three days, their has been no sign of Brin. Our distraction has been put into place, and all of the X6's and 7's traveling with us are safely across. I heave unobtrusive sigh of release as I know that we will make it. I walk back over to Logan, and kiss him. Snuggling up, I make sure that he knows how much I love him.  
  
"Know what I'm looking forward too?" I ask him, snuggled in close.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"An empty house with a well stocked kitchen and a giant feather bed, and you. You game?"  
  
Laughter shines in my eyes as my back feels what the suggestion does to him. His eyes glaze over for a second and then he shakes himself. I giggle. He looks at me again, and says, "You know, I'm looking forward to Canada a whole lot more all of a sudden."  
  
Zane walks up, and raises the tension level with two small words. "It's time."  
  
I send Logan, Case, and Charlie across the border right after I send Tinga and Jondy. Syl and I watch their backs, while Zane keeps watch from up in a tree. Next, Zane goes, and then Syl. Then it's my turn. With a graceful leap, I jump over the repaired 20-foot fence. We've made it.  
  
Zane turns me and smiles. "Well done, baby sister!" ha walks up and gives me a noogie. Honestly, Sometimes he is so childish. But his timing, after we have successfully escaped, is everything to me. Now, to go find that feather bed, and Logan. With the same silly grin I had on my face when I went into to work less then a week ago, I go off to find my beloved.  
  
"Well, we're here. Now, how about that house?" I ask him, and he wraps one of his well-toned arms around me.  
  
"Lead the way." He says, his hand stroking the small of my back.  
  
"Will a woodland glen and ration bars suffice?" I ask.  
  
"Darling, leftovers and a cement road would suffice right now."  
  
He begins to nibble my neck, and we move to somewhere well hidden by trees. Once again, our clothes start flying. We gather them quickly, and use them as a blanket from the forest floor. We don't have any protection, but we don't care right now. We just want to feel the skin on skin, and revel in each other. Finally sated, we sleep.  
  
The chill air wakes me just before dawn. I know that I have to move us all to a city, because while we've escaped, we aren't entirely safe yet. Brin never did understand the whole concept of borders. Logan stirs, protesting my movement. I get up, and he does the same. He's so cute when he just wakes up. He's even cuter when he looks startled.  
  
"What's wrong, babe?" I ask him, giving him a kiss.  
  
"We, um, didn't use any…" I clue in, and all of a sudden, I realize that we may have a little Logan running around soon. The thought makes me feel all gooey inside.  
  
"That's OK. It gives me a chance to ask you something." I say, getting ready to ask him to live with me. I'd rather marry him, but he's gonna do his own damn proposing. I guess I'm a romantic at heart.  
  
"Can I ask you something first?" He asks, looking into my eyes.  
  
"Hurry. I don't have much time!" I say, trying to withdraw into my duties. I don't want to ask him after all. If he said no, it would hurt too much.  
  
"Marry me." He blurted it out, and then looked so vulnerable. I melted.  
  
"I don't know. What are the fringe benefits?" I ask, being all cocky. Can't let him think he won too easily, after all.  
  
"Well, there's breakfast. And Lunch. And dinner, all cooked by me. And then, there's my superior bedroom- um- make that sexual skills." He's giving it back to me as good as I've given it to him.  
  
"Well, then I guess I can marry you." I concede, and whoops and cheers explode behind us, around us, and from the trees above us. Startled, I automatically take fighting stance, even though I'm not wearing anything but my pants and bra.  
  
"It's about time, girl! A familiar voice calls out. Jondy and Tinga are leading the pack, high up in the trees, and I can't help but laugh while my face flames in total embarrassment. I mean, how long have they been there?  
  
"Don't worry, we only started climbing when we heard voices." Tinga saw my blush and reassured me. Hurriedly, I shout at them all.  
  
"All right, shows over! Move out so I can get dressed, for gods sake!"  
  
Still chuckling, they shooed the rest away. Morning, it seems, has arrived again. 


	7. Settling in- 6 months later

1 Chapter 7  
  
Well, here we are. Logan and I have been in Canada for six months, and there has been no sign of Brin, Manticore, or anything out of the ordinary, So we bought a house. Well, more of an estate, actually. When we were on the run, I laughingly suggested to Logan that we needed a big wood house, empty but for a well-stocked kitchen and a feather bed. I never thought that we would actually go through with it, but we found this house nestled in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, far from prying eyes. It also has lots of little cabins, and a small apartment complex. I think it must have been a resort before the pulse. We have our own little community of transgenics here, and being so far off the beaten path, it's very unlikely we'll be found. We feed ourselves by making once monthly trips into a city not far from here, and buying food in bulk. Logan and I discovered that there are over five thousand dormant bank accounts worth over three billion in the states right now, and he's been slowly and carefully siphoning off the money we need from them. It gives me a sense of safety I haven't had before.  
  
With not much call for genetically engineered killing machines, here, I've been busy panning my wedding. Original Cindy, who I called from a cell phone just after we crossed the border, is going to be here to be my boo of honor. Sketchy, Herbal, and Bling are coming with her, and between them, they'll be bringing up all our stuff. Alec will be heading up with them, and he'll be directing them in order to keep our location a secret. Joshua came up about two months ago and brought Jane with him. I think those two are becoming a couple. I'm happy for them, but will their babies ever look weird. If they can even have babies. So, it looks like the gangs all here.  
  
Speaking of babies, I have a secret. I haven't told Logan yet. I want to surprise him, and Valentines Day is coming up. I had no idea what the hell that was until a discussion with Tinga brought it up. She knew about it from her days at the bakery. And, of course, her relationship with Charlie. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl? I wonder if Logan will even want her. Him. I've been thinking of names, too, but I don't know if I want to go that far a head. All I know is that for three months now, I have had a little person living inside of me. Maybe with my screwed up DNA, I won't be able to carry it full term. But Tinga never had a problem. Damn! I'm too nervous. I think I'd better just come right out and tell him. To hell with this whole Valentine crap.  
  
I think he guesses something's up, anyway. I never throw up and never sleep, but these past few months I've been doing a lot. Of both. Tinga knows, and she's been helping me through it. She thinks I was crazy not to tell him as soon as I knew. But I wanted to wait until I was sure. Oh, God. Gotta hit the can again.  
  
I run towards the bathroom, and of course Logan just has to pick this moment to be shaving. I lean over the toilet, do my thing, and then sit up. My eyes are glassy, and my pants are suddenly too tight around the waist. Tinga told me to expect that. But damn, now I have to tell him. He looks at me, concern on his face, and leans over to twine his fingers in my hair. We both love touching so much, maybe because it was denied to us for so long.  
  
"Max, honey, what's wrong? Why've you been so strange lately? I've never seen you like this before. You're glowing, and I'm hoping I know why."  
  
Damn. He knows already. Well, I guess that it won't be a Valentines present for him. Wait a minute, did he say hope?  
  
"Did you just say hope?" My voice is low, urgent.  
  
"Yes, honey, I hope."  
  
"Well, I'm glad, because in six months, that hope is going to buy you diaper duty."  
  
A huge grin breaks out on his face, and he starts to dance around the room. Whew. I'm glad that's over with. Now maybe I'll get a cuddle. I look at him with my best kitten in need of a pat look, and he chuckles. I leap up from the floor, throw him onto our bed, and demand, "So cuddle me already, damn it!"  
  
He pulls me in close, and things get rather heated quickly. Clothing starts being shed, and pretty soon we're naked and in bed. Right now, we are in a world of our own. Having our own celebration about this new little life. Finally, we stop to catch our breath.  
  
"Logan? What do you want to name him?"  
  
We are lying in bed, snuggling close in that wonderful position known as spooning, when I ask him this. I roll over so I can look in to his eyes.  
  
"Him? Well, since you're so sure about his gender, why don't you name him? I'll name the next one." He grins at me, and I know he's dead serious, he definitely wants a next one. The thought makes me go all mushy inside.  
  
"Well, then Zachary Paul Cale it is." He looks slightly startled. I guess he may not want his son named after his ex-rival, after all.  
  
"Zach? Um, not to sound petty or anything, but how about Paul Zachary?" Logan looks supremely uncomfortable, and rightly so. His suggestion starts to really piss me off. Then I think about it for a second. My big brother did try to kill him, after all. I decide to be gracious and give in.  
  
"If you'd rather. How about if he's actually a she?" I ask, even though I know that Paul is defiantly a boy. After all, I have determined genes.  
  
"I think…." Logan doesn't get a chance to finish. A thumping at our bedroom door interrupts him. 


	8. Look who's here

Disclaimer: See Chapter One!  
  
"Boo? You and your roller boy better get some clothes on quick, because Original Cindy's comin' in!" I laugh. Her entrance is so typically Cindy.  
  
"Gimme 5 minutes, and I'll be down there!" I shout, hoping to forestall her seeing a whole lot more of the three-legged gender then she ever wanted to.  
  
"Looks like we have to move, babe." I say to Logan, the disappointment in my voice warring with the excitement of seeing my boo again. I toss on my new jeans, a T-shirt, and my leather jacket. Then with a few sweeps of my brush, I put my hair into a ponytail and head downstairs. Logan, the lazy ass, is still lying in bed.  
  
I decide to remedy the situation. Grabbing my feather pillow, I walk over to his side of the bed. He eyes me warily. I think that the glint in my eyes is giving me away. With a quick swing, I start to pelt him with the pillow until he leaps out of bed.  
  
"Turn about is fair play!" He says, laughing, and grabs me for a quick, heart stopping kiss. If I retaliate, OC is going to think we died up here. Shaking my head at him, I open the door and run down the stairs. I have to greet my friends. I'm happy they're here, but GOD does Original Cindy have horrible timing. My thoughts carry me to the living room, where the whole Jam Pony gang is hanging. I all of a sudden realize that we have human people who don't know about transgenics in the middle of a transgenic compound. I have to think of something, fast. I had cleared out on of the suites in the apartment building for the crew, but I realize that it may not be the best place for them to stay. Many still harbour superiority complexes towards the norms.  
  
My happiness at seeing my friends again wars with my trepidation at having them here. Giving Sketchy a hug, I then turn to Alec. Much to my displeasure, Asha is also here. Damn. I ignore the interloper and give Alec a hug.  
  
"Thanks for getting them all here. Do they know how they got here?" Alec gave me one of his trademark grins. "Nope. I blindfolded them just before the border, and kept them that way until we pulled up. I think Blondie was getting a bit nervous. He gave Asha a disgusted look, and then took Max aside.  
  
"I told them you all had bar codes tattooed on your neck to celebrate getting out of the states. They know you are in hiding, but that was the only way I could explain them. I also had Zane brief everyone on remaining totally covert around Sketchy and Herbal. Sorry about Asha, by the way. She found out from Bling when we would be dismantling Logan's computer, and then hid herself in the van until we were pulling up here. So, anyway, it looks like I'll be taking a trip into the city with our stowaway yet today. She's insisting on seeing Logan, first. She wants to make sure that you didn't kidnap him or something." He rolled his eyes, obviously pained at not having found her before they even crossed the border.  
  
My friends' trip was shorter then mine. For one thing, the were traveling by van for most of the way, even if the did change makes, models and years a few times over the course of the way to shake off any tails. They also didn't have the need to hide out and rendezvous with people. What took us three weeks took them one. Which was why they were so much earlier then I expected. All this country living was making me soft.  
  
Logan, bleary eyed and still sporting the splendidly purple hickey I gave him a couple of nights ago, came stomping down the stairs just as Alec finished reporting in. He looked up, saw Asha, rubbed his eyes, and looked again.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, more annoyed then surprised. She looked startled, but was determined to make her point.  
  
"I came to rescue you from all these science projects!" She said, trying to make herself look like a heroine. Both Alec and I started to make angry moves towards her, both for the insult she just dealt and for breaking an oath to not talk about what we were in front of people who didn't know. Original Cindy got there first.  
  
SLAP! The crack of skin on skin was so sharp that it stopped everyone in the room. Asha's hand flew up to her cheek, and flinched as she felt the heated skin beneath her hand. "You've maimed me!" She cried, arrogant to the last.  
  
"If this wasn't my boo's house, I would do a lot more then a little slap across that pasty face of yours!" OC said furiously. "Now, you haul your little white ass out of here, before Original Cindy does something she'll actually regret!"  
  
Pouting, Asha looked pleadingly at Logan. He stopped her before she even opened her mouth.  
  
"I was content to never see you again. I was hoping that you would be smart enough to know that it would never be like that with us. It seems I was wrong. You hide away, pester my friends, and the see fit to insult my fiancee and all her friends. Well, guess what, Asha. I want to out of here. Now. Alec will drive you to the nearest airport. He'll buy you an international ticket. Don't come back." Logan spoke with unleashed fire, and even Asha couldn't misinterpret his words as a plea for help. That wasn't what made her pale face go even whiter, however.  
  
"Fiancee?" She asked, hoping she had heard wrong.  
  
"Yes. Now get the hell out. Alec?" Alec walked up, and put his arm around Asha to keep her from trying to run.  
  
"It will be a long trip. We're over 15 hours from the nearest international airport." That was a lie, they were actually less then three, but Alec wasn't giving anything away. He wouldn't put it passed her to try and let Manticore know where they were.  
  
"Alec, could you come here for a minute please? Leave Blondie there." Original Cindy moved to make sure Asha couldn't make a break for it, and Alec walked up to me.  
  
"Knock her out. Then she won't know timings or anything. Keep her knocked out until you get her on the plane." My eyes are glowing coals. There is no way that I'm gonna let that bitch hurt my baby. 


	9. Dinner, Anyone?

Disclaimer: See chapter one.  
  
Please people!! If you read this, review it. It's my first fanfic and I'm not sure if I should write another. Let me know!!  
  
I watch as they pull away. Now that she's gone, I relax and turn to my friends. I walk over to where they are standing, and snake my arm around Logan's waist. He looks down at me, and I blink up at him innocently. Which is difficult to do, as I just pinched his posterior as hard as I could. He manages to keep from jumping and gives me an evil look.  
  
"Well, boo, is you gonna feed us, or do we have to take down the kitchen ourselves?" OC breaks into our little by play.  
  
"Food? You mean, you came all this way and all you want to do is eat? I'm wounded."  
  
"Cut it, boo. That crap don't work anymore." I look at Original Cindy with big eyes, and we both burst out laughing. I feel the last of the tension created by Asha leave my system.  
  
"As it happens, I've been cooking most of the day." Logan breaks in, cutting off another round of teasing.  
  
"Well, if Logan insists, I guess we can feed you." I give in graciously. Not like I wasn't planning to already. I send one of the little X7's to find Zane, Tinga and Jondy to let them know supper is ready.  
  
Twenty minutes later and we are all sitting down for supper at this kicking oak table Logan found. Until he found it, I didn't know actual wood tables existed anymore. It allows us to all sit in comfort.  
  
"Hey Max, what did Logan mean by 'fiancee'? You aren't really getting married, are you?" Sketchy asks me with his mouth full. It's like his slow mental processes have just picked this up. Herbal looks at me with the same curiosity, and Original Cindy answers.  
  
"No, fool, roller boy here just said that to get rid of the bitch. Of course she ain't getting married. Are you?" The last part of this was directed at me.  
  
"Well, actually, we are. That's why I had Alec fetch you guys. I couldn't tie the knot without my peeps around, now could I?"  
  
Stark silence meets this announcement. I start to get nervous. They Sketchy cheers, and Original Cindy breaks out into a huge grin.  
  
"Yes! It's about time! So when's this going down?"  
  
"In a week. And am I ever glad you guys are here. But Alec was supposed to tell you guys before he brought you up here. I assumed he did, or I would have told you sooner."  
  
Everyone digests this, and I marvel at how trusting my friends are. They seem so street wise, but at the same time, the blindly trusted Alec to bring them to me. They didn't even know why I sent for them. This touches me more then I'm willing to admit. Then sketchy decides to ask another stupid question about this afternoon, and I have no idea how to answer it.  
  
Innocently trusting, he asks me, "What did Blondie mean when she was calling you and Alec science projects? And why would she think Logan needs rescuing from you?"  
  
'Oh, shit' is all I can think while he looks at me, awaiting an answer. I have no idea what to say to him. All I know is that there is no way I can tell him the truth. That would compromise us all. Knowing Sketchy, he would probably forget it was supposed to be a secret and blab to a tabloid. The silence stretches out too long. Then Zane speaks up, and startles me. I had forgotten that he was at the table since he was being so quiet.  
  
"Well, Sketchy, if we told you that, we'd have to kill you." He says this with a straight face, and then we all burst out laughing at the look on Sketchy's face.  
  
Crisis averted for now. I hope. He may realize any time over this next while that we never really answered his question. It's going to be a long week. I don't know how I'm going to keep this a secret while they're in the middle of transgenic central. I shake my head. There is nothing I can do about it now.  
  
Nervous and happy, I get together with OC after the supper dishes are cleared away. Logan takes the others on a tour of our little part of the mountains to give us time to talk.  
  
We go up to my room, the one place where I can guarantee that no unauthorized ears will be listening to our conversation. The last thing we need at this point is for Sketchy or Herbal to overhear in case something about my screwed up genes slips into the conversation. I stare at my best friend, hardly able to believe that she's here. Sisters are wonderful, but nothing is like having a best friend to giggle with.  
  
I open my mouth to ask her how her life has been, but she starts talking first. Should have known that no one can beat her when is comes to gabbing.  
  
"So, when's the baby due?" she asks innocently.  
  
My jaw drops. I mean, I know she can read me like a book, but am I that transparent? I stare at her wordlessly, my eyes bugging.  
  
"Oh, come on, boo! I know that if the virus is dead, and you're obviously safe, you and your suga will have been hittin' the sheets way more then I want to think about. And that would translate to a little boo for Original Cindy to spoil and send home to mom. So, I repeat, when's the little boo due?"  
  
My wits return. It isn't obvious to anyone lacking her incredible dirty and suspect mind. All of a sudden, I start to laugh and can't stop. Original Cindy looks at me like I've lost my mind.  
  
"Sorry. No idea why that happened. You know, mood swings and all." I still very carefully attempt to not answer her question. It doesn't work.  
  
"Max! You have until the count of three to tell me!"  
  
"Yes, Max, do enlighten us." A definitely unexpected voice says. My head swings around to see someone I never thought I'd see again. After all, she's dead. 


	10. Reports of My death have been greatly ex...

My house had been carefully scouted for ways to breach security. No one, not even the X5's, should have been able to enter my room without massive advanced warning. I had even cleared all the climbable trees away from my house for 20 feet in every direction. So there was no way I could be seeing what I thought I was seeing.  
  
My visitor seemed unaware of such reasoned logic. She very definitely was an X5, and she very definitely came in through my window. My slow senses finally adjusted, and I dropped into a fighting stance. She hadn't escaped with us, therefor I had to assume she was an enemy. Even if she had gotten herself shot trying to save me when we were only nine.  
  
"Eva." I said softly, for there was no mistaking her clear purple eyes. Her long, light brown hair was clipped up tight to her head. And her face, so much like Syl's, looked at me warily. She, too, dropped into fighting pose.  
  
"Hey, baby sister. I hear you took the bitch down." He low, husky voice surprised me. I knew that this could still be a trap, so I did not let my guard down. Instead, I called to Original Cindy.  
  
"Go tell the people who we had dinner with tonight that Eva is here. Tell them to hurry." She nodded, and ran down the stairs.  
  
As far as I know in the real world, very few people ever come face to face with their dead siblings. I think I must be the only one to have to do it twice. Eva was relaxed, and I knew that if she had been in Manticore all this time she could probably kick my ass. Even if I wasn't three months pregnant and trying to protect my baby. It didn't make sense, somehow. If she had been at Manticore all this time, then I know I would have seen her while they had me back there. I know the certainly kept Brin close to me all the time. So how could she be from there? And yet, since she's alive, how could she not? Coupled with the fact that she seemed to make it into my window with no troubles at all, her as an enemy seemed all too likely.  
  
"I know you can't trust me. But I want to explain what happened after you broke out. And how I got away soon after. Believe it or not, Lydecker got me out."  
  
I snort. I'm almost positive she's lying. Like he would let her go, and then spend the next ten tears hunting the rest of us down. When I didn't say anything else, she went on.  
  
"After he shot me, I was taken down to the infirmary. The used this big machine that encased my whole body to keep me alive. When three X5's were killed from another unit, they transplanted me. And then I spent three months in the torture chamber." The stark sentences remind me of my discussion with Zane, not so long ago. In spite of myself, I am inclined to believe her. There is too much sincerity in that violet gaze, and too much pain in her voice, to fake. Eva never could fake anything anyway.  
  
Zane and Tinga chose that moment to come crashing through the same window Eva had used. When they saw that there was no fight going on, they backed off. Both of them drank in the sight of her, and I could feel their trepidation warring with the joy of having her returned to us. She cleared her throat, and continued with her story.  
  
"One night, when my mind was about to crack and my body was beaten almost beyond repair, Lydecker came to get me out of the torture chamber. I thought it was another trick, another way of trying to break the spirit they had decided was too dangerous for a soldier to have. I was wrong. He put me into his jeep, drove me into Seattle. And then he dropped me off at an orphanage, without a word, and drove away. I've spent the last few months looking for you guys. They told me that you had all been killed. They never admitted that you had escaped. Not to any of us who were left behind, anyway. Then that Eyes-Only guy broadcast that you were alive, and that Manticore had been taken down. I knew I had to find you."  
  
"Bar-code!" Tinga barks, hiding the emotions that shine in her eyes. Eva turns without a word; the irrevocable truth is branded on her neck. X5-457. Eva.  
  
Our innate caution still makes us wary, but slowly, we walk up to our sister. I can see that Tinga is still having a hard time believing. She and Eva were as close as Jondy and I am. They hug, and laughing and crying, we are a whole unit again- or almost.  
  
"Uh, Uh, boo. You ain't getting outta my question that easy! Nothing so little as a long dead sister is going to stop this one from getting out. So, inquiring minds wanna know! When is the little boo due?!"  
  
Oops. In all the whooping and hollering going on between the X5's, I had forgotten about OC. Not like she was going to let me forget about her for very long. All of a sudden, I had four intensely curious siblings looking at me. Man, were Jondy and Syl going to kill us when they got off guard duty. They're missing everything that's happening tonight.  
  
Or maybe not. They picked that moment to come bounding up the stairs and through the door.  
  
"We hear things are getting interes...EVA?" Syl looks very much how I did when I saw Eva standing inside my bedroom window. She and Jondy are across the room so fast that I didn't see them move, and are hugging and crying all over Eva's black denim outfit.  
  
"Logan said that Eva was here...but we assumed that he had screwed up and actually meant Brin. Oh, Eva!" Jondy is still sniffling.  
  
"Now, girls, you just interrupted what could prove to be a very interesting conversation. Max?" Zane is grinning. I could smack him. Damn it, I guess I'd better get this over with. I'd have to tell them soon, anyway. You know, before I look like I swallowed a beach ball.  
  
"All right, ALL RIGHT, already. I'll tell. God, you'd think that there was more going on then there actually is." I pretend to be really steamed, so my family won't notice how embarrassed I am. It's not like it's any of their business, anyway. "In about six months, you all will have a niece or nephew to add to your family tree. Or maybe both," I say, as I remember how Logan once told me that twins tend to run is his family.  
  
My siblings look at each other, and then all start to grin. Big, cheesy grins of absolute mirth. Logan walks up behind me, puts his arms around me, and says, "So, I guess now would be a good time to decide what we'll call her. Seeing as you've told the family and all." I look up at him, and see that he isn't mad. He's teasing me. Just like everyone else. Damn them all.  
  
"What's so funny? I ask, grumpy that they all seem to find the fact that I'm pregnant funny, and daring them to deny it.  
  
"Oh, I was just trying to picture you with one of your hot little leather outfits in a couple of months." Tinga gave me an evil grin. I knew how much she missed her tight little leather outfits when she was pregnant with Case. She'd told me.  
  
"I guess you would know better then I would, wouldn't you, Tinga dear?" I say, as sarcastic as I can manage. I succeed in attaining a tone that could strip paint of a tank.  
  
"Ooo, Testy!" She replied. My face was turning an interesting shade of purple, and Logan took one look and ushered everyone outside except for Original Cindy. He left, too, and I was back to where I started from before our private conversation became an X5 party.  
  
Original Cindy took one look at my face and laughed.  
  
"I know what'll return those pearly whites-and I just happened to bring the tools ready."  
  
I look at her, nervous. The way she's smiling, it can only mean one thing.  
  
"Makeover! I brought it all with me boo. So get ready."  
  
I hate being right. 


	11. Baby Talk and Whining

Chapter 11  
  
Now everyone is settled in for the night. I'm lying next to Logan, and we finally- FINALLY can pick up our conversation where it left off this afternoon. But I still can't get a little girl's name out of him. Every time I try, he gets this mushy look on his face, and I can tell he's picturing pink booties and frilly dresses. It's enough to make a confirmed tomboy gag.  
  
"Logan?" I say, careful to keep my voice unthreatening.  
  
"Mm?" He replies muzzily, and begins to nuzzle my neck.  
  
"No daughter of mine is gonna be forced into ruffles. Pink booties, I can handle. Not without some qualms about stereotypes, but I'll deal. Ruffles are a nonstarter. Got it?"  
  
"But...but if she's a girl then we have to have frilly dresses! They're so cute!" Logan looks downright upset. He moves away from my neck and I roll over to look at him. I've never seen him like this before- he's actually annoyed at me. I start to get a little worried. The little voice in the back of my head says to drop it. After all, the conversation is a moot point, since Paul is a boy. I don't see any reason to listen to that little voice, since I never have before. I stand by my statement.  
  
"No ruffles! None! Lace, yes, ribbons, yes, but NO flipping ruffles." I'm quite pleased with myself. I just laid down the law. Too bad it's wasted.  
  
"We'll see about that." Logan says under his breath and turns away. I'm left to decide whether to get really insistent.  
  
"Over my dead body." I turn my back to Logan, and for the first time since we moved here, we go to sleep not touching.  
  
I didn't notice until I woke up this morning that we still hadn't even suggested names yet again. He still wants ruffles. I refrain from telling him that no self-respecting little girl wears ruffles. That went as far out as the dizzy pop princesses of the early 00's. We go down to breakfast, barely speaking.  
  
"Hey boo! Original Cindy definitely approves. The whole pink nightie thing is so you!" I look down in horror, and I see that I'm still wearing the sexy little pink teddy I went to bed in. No robe, either. Everyone in the kitchen cracks up as I turn beat red, and go zipping back up the stairs to my room. Logan follows me back up.  
  
"Hey, Maxie, why don't we wait until Devonny Elizabeth is born before we start arguing about her clothes, hey? Please? I missed snuggling with you last night."  
  
Hold the phone here. He actually came up with a name? I turn around, amazed his brain is once more functioning, and chose not to mention that I woke up more then a few times to discover that I was as snuggled in as ever. I choose not to make an issue out of it. After all, he did get past our mutual mush-mindedness in order to pick a name. And a pretty name, at that.  
  
"We can wait till PAUL is born to prove that we didn't need to be arguing about it in the first place." I agree sweetly.  
  
"I guess we'll wait and see." Logan wrapped me up into a hug, and I'm all of a sudden getting lots of help shedding the pink thing I forgot to change out of.  
  
"The best thing about disagreements is the making up part." He murmured in my ear.  
  
I have to agree with him. We were due downstairs two hours ago. I giggle and another round of making up ensues. Then I finally drag my sorry ass out of bed. I have to hit the bathroom again.  
  
After I'm done, I clean up and get dressed (properly, this time). Then Logan and I meander down the stairs holding hands. Alec is standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking very pleased with himself. I can only wonder what he did to Asha.  
  
"So, did you have fun escorting our baby terrorist back to her nest?" I ask waspishly. I know I'm being a bitch, but the mere thought of that ... person anywhere near my man is enough to get me started.  
  
Alec grinned.  
  
"We went around in circles for a while. Then I bought her a drink at the little café three kilometers from here. I slipped some roofies into her drink and she passed out like a baby. Then I drove her to Vancouver, and dropped her at the airport with fifty bucks and a ticket to Belarus. She said something about having contacts there. Not like I cared, mind you, but I wanted to make sure that she wasn't running to Manticore. If she had been, I would have killed her and still told you that story. Excepting the last part, anyway. And I managed to hook up with a cute little read head at the airport. All in all, I had a pretty good night."  
  
I smiled at him, mentioned the food I was hoping was still in the kitchen, and watched him run off. Since he was gone, he doesn't know about Eva. I hurry into the kitchen to see his reaction to her. It ought to be priceless. That isn't the information he apparently gets first, however.  
  
"Max is what?" He screams, loud enough for every transgenic, `nomaile and norm to hear for ten klicks. I shrink back, realizing that I probably should have told him when I saw him. Logan just laughs at his reaction.  
  
"I said that Max is three months pregnant. You're going to be an uncle."  
  
Alec looks completely shell shocked. He starts to make a move towards Logan, but I get there first.  
  
"Oh, no you don't. Don't go pulling a Zach on me now. " I grab his collar, and he grins ruefully. He still looks a bit dazed.  
  
"Sorry. Wasn't thinking. You two didn't waste any time, now did you?"  
  
Neither of us answered. We both thought that we wasted too much time. Far, far too much. We pull each other in a tight, comforting hug to erase the bleakness of that thought, and then it's time for another bathroom run. I can't wait for this part to be over. Tinga says it will pass in another week or so. I hope she's right. Six more months to go, I keep telling myself. It seems small comfort when I have my head over the toilet. 


	12. The enemy of my enemy is my friend

A/N- A fan asked if I could bring back Jace and Mini Max, since I was bringing x5's back from the dead. Since I wasn't quite sure where to take this story next, It suited me quite well. Thanks.  
  
Disclaimer: Come on, we know it belongs to JC and the boys. Must we belabour the point?  
  
We pull each other in a tight, comforting hug to erase the bleakness of that thought, and then it's time for another bathroom run. I can't wait for this part to be over. Tinga says it will pass in another week or so. I hope she's right. Six more months to go, I keep telling myself. It seems small comfort when I have my head over the toilet.  
  
I manage to get through the wedding preparations through sheer guts and a close proximity to a bathroom. Tinga had better be right when she says these will pass in another few weeks. If she isn't, I'm gonna kick her ass. Even if I am knocked up. Maybe I better wait until this kid is born. With admin work, security, wedding plans, and baby, I'm actually sleeping more now then I ever did in my life. I'm hoping that my human DNA is taking over for now. It would mean that there wouldn't be any problems ready to bite me in the ass. That would be nice, for a change.  
  
When I was a kid I never thought that I would be married. I mean, what point was there to even dreaming about it? I wouldn't have even known about it except for some of the nurses. But we would lie in our beds at night, and Jondy and I would talk about what we wanted our man to be like. Now that I think about it, Logan fits that description to a T. I haven't thought about those nights consciously in years. I wonder why they pop up now.  
  
Tinga, the only other one of us to go through this, would know. How hard was it for her, knowing that Charlie didn't even know who- what- she was? Was it more difficult for her to don that white dress, or less? I guess there are some things that you just don't ask.  
  
My mind stops wandering, and one thought, one feeling, beats it's way around my head. Tomorrow is my wedding day. I lose of my make up name, and gain a real one. I can stay with Logan forever. I don't think I have ever been so happy, so energized. That is, when I'm not puking. Oh, well. This is what I get for not practicing- what did that poster in Jam Pony say? Oh, Yah. Safe Sex.  
  
I hear a gun shot, and then another. Fear grips my heart. I know that one of the squads is out on security training, but their guns have blanks. No way am I forcing any of charges to shoot each other. I'll bet my Manticore training that those shots weren't from blanks. Shooting up from my perch by the window, I very carefully make my way downstairs. Zane comes rushing in.  
  
"Max! Thank god you aren't out on exercise. The whole security detachment was cut off on their way back. I don't know what is coming at us, but it can't be good. I think the little blonde bitch ratted us out. We have to go, now. I have everyone I could round up, radio, or post to, assembled. We all are armed. Here."  
  
He tossed me a semi-automatic machine gun. I instinctively try to get rid of it, but then I feel my baby move for the first time. I can't stand the thought of Paul having to grow up the same way I did. My grip tightens, and we put our contingency plans to work. I'll get out of here. I have to, for Logan and the baby. I follow Zane, who's leading the escape. We stealthy move to our rendezvous point. We see Brin issuing orders, and to our horror, Jace is with her. I am sick to my stomach to see the sister that I thought was finally free. My heart goes stone cold when I hear Brin's words.  
  
"You wanna save that kid from White? Then you listen to me. The only way we'll get her back is to bring in Max, and let her take Maxie's place. I tried, Damn it all. I tried like hell to get my niece back from that bastard. But he wouldn't give her up. He was holding a gun to her little head, just waiting for me to breathe wrong. I'm sorry, Jace, but this is how it has to be."  
  
Zane looks at me, shocked. He didn't know about Jace's baby, and now is not the time to let him in on it. It's going to take some tricky maneuvering to keep all of us from White's clutches. I don't trust Brin as far as I can throw her, but her voice sounded really sincere. I can see that Zane believes her. He always had a soft heart.  
  
I feel Paul shift again, a little reminder from my own womb about how much this must hurt Jace. But we have to ambush, and neither of them knows that all the X6's and 7's have already immobilized the ground troops. As we hoped, the only people that are known about up here are the X5's. I signal to Zane, Jondy, and Tinga. In quick sign language, I tell them what I want to do. Tinga shakes her head, points to my stomach, and signals Krit. He climbs down a few branches, and she outlines my plan to him. I hate being left out, but I know that they're right. I can't risk my child. I instead move quietly toward the Jeep to disable the transmitters that are no doubt set up to record their every conversation. A handy little tool that Logan had brought up here is in my hand, and I slip behind them and turn it on. With a slight hand signal, I let the others know what is going on. They get into position. Now, all we have to do is strike cleanly, and knock them out. Once they are  
incapacitated, Krit will blow up the Jeep after deactivating the jammer. As far as White knows, they were killed. And to top it all off, the last thing on the recorded message will be a heartbreaking cry from Logan that we tape-recorded. It says, "They shot them all. All dead, the bastards! Max, I'll be joining you soon." Pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. Of course, our location had been found. We'll have to put the hologram disguise on for a while, making it look like the place has burned to the ground. With one more swish of my hand, we move. I'm sick with nervousness. How will this turn out? I hear two cries, then nothing. I don't dare turn back. 


	13. Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

A/N I don't remember the author of "Tiger, Tiger" so please do not sue. I don't claim to have any rights on it. I just remember it from high school and find it oddly fitting for this chapter. Also, I'm sorry if the last couple of chapters haven't been quite up to snuff. I'm an insomniac, and so consequently I have been very out of it when I've written them. I figure better to write then stare at the ceiling.  
  
I head toward the caves that we prepared when we first came here. They are to be where we all meet up. I'm hoping we all survived, but I know that I can't count on it. There are too many variables to guarantee a bloodless defense. I can only thank the fact that Alec was busy showing the other norms our hiding place in the mountains when the first shots were fired. Syl was directing the defense troops. I haven't heard any of them check in. It worries me. I know that I can't do anything, and so I keep going. When I am about 500 feet from the ambush site, I hear an explosion. I can only hope that everything went as it should have.  
  
I get to the caves, and with relief I see Logan, OC, and all the rest. Alec is administering a tourniquet to Syl, who had a wound on her lower thigh. From the amount of blood, it looks like the bullet nicked an artery. Seeing the blood flow through his fingers start to slow, I find myself thanking Manticore for our field med. training. Without it, I may have lost another sister tonight. Although, at the moment, it's hard to keep from hating them with all my heart. I settle for absolving all gratitude and accepting this as our due. My eyes are murderous as I replay Brin's words in my head. They have my niece. Are our children only pawns to them? Do they not matter to them as people? I am not a number, damn it. I'm a person. And so is my child. With these rebellious thoughts, I motion Alec over. Eva comes too. She has been protective ever since she came back, and was with Alec when the fecal matter hit the fan. Since she didn't know about our hideout in the hills, I had  
thought that it was probably a good idea to show her. It's a good thing that I did. I remember an old saying, one that makes more sense now then ever before. Timing is everything, or nothing. Looks like it was everything, this time.  
  
"They've taken Jace's baby. The only exchange that they'll take is me. I have to figure out a way to get Brin and Jace on our side, keep them away from the main compound where the `nomalies and the X8's are, and rescue my niece. Got any suggestions?" I stop and look at the two of them. A flash of grim humour lights my eyes, and then disappears. I feel harder then diamonds, and I'm about to slice something. I really need to punch something right now.  
  
"Gee, you don't want much, now do you?" Alec said sarcastically. We get all joking out of our systems, and then we start to plan. By the time we are done, we have a plan to get back my namesake, kill White, and erase all other databases of Manticore. No one will ever know what hit them. The main thing depends on Brin's cooperation and we don't know if we have that yet. We'll find out soon enough.  
  
It's killing me not knowing what is happening, not knowing if everyone made it out OK. I know that Joshua will take care of the children and the `nomalies just like he always has, but I don't want to dump that on him for too long. I still have enough training to know when I'm abandoning the mission, and I feel horribly guilty. Even if it is only temporary. Eva moves to go tend Syl, and I move towards Logan.  
  
Alec goes to check on the others. I think that they should have checked in by now, but as Logan so intelligently pointed out, A mother fighting for her child is a force to reckon with. He tries to calm me down as I attempt to stalk around the small, concealed area.  
  
"Tiger, Tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the night." He quotes to me, and from the look on his face, I can tell he just made another correlation between a poem and I. I wonder what he means. We all have a little feline DNA. I'm totally unaware that to Logan, I look like one of the large cats, ready for prey. I look at him a little more intensely then I normally do, and heat lights his eyes. The small fire we built to the far back of the cave to keep Syl warm throws dancing shadows over the stone walls, and I get the strange feeling that there is no one in the world but him and I.  
  
I'm jerked back to the present when I hear footsteps crunching in the snow outside. They're light, which means a female. I cautiously look out of the cave, and I am once again relieved to see Jondy looking back at me. I usher her inside.  
  
"Well, we took them down easily enough, and blowing up the jeep went according to plan. We kept them out cold, and took them to a makeshift camp about three klicks from here. Alec found us easily enough, and when he got there, I thought I'd let him take over guard duty to come and report to you. When I left, they were just coming to. We took them out a little more enthusiastically then we intended. Alec looked like he was about ready to burst, so I assume you to took advantage of your nice cushy cave to work out a solution?"  
  
"We sure did." I said evenly, noting the high colour in my sister's cheeks, along with the sparkle in her eye. "We figured that White more then likely believes us all dead. If I were him, I would want to come down here and personally see that this place was completely gone. Since he's too much of a scum sucker to do his own dirty work, we'll take it to him. Brin, looking disheveled and not at all her usual soldier self, will go in and report that we were all killed, and that I was incinerated in the jeep blast. She is going to request to be able to raise her niece herself. We don't actually expect her to be granted custody, but just in case she is, we will have to work fast. Syl and Krit will go in and get Maxie while Logan and I run video camera interference, along with some healthy static in their audio. Everyone else will watch the perimeter except for Zane. He will go in, and locate the main computer room from the diagrams Logan will pull from their computers. He'll take  
the strongest magnet we can find, and disable the computers. After he finishes that, he'll take a hammer to them. They won't be salvageable for anything but a couple of cents work of silicon. Then we all bug the hell out and lie low in Boston with Logan's relatives for a while. The best part is, we'll get to eat rich while we are doing it. I'm leaving Joshua as acting CO in our absence. He has more control over our vagabonds then we do, sometimes. What do you think?"  
  
Jondy's pretty face had fallen. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. The she looked at me and asked, "But Max, what about you're wedding?"  
  
I look at Logan, stricken. He smiles, puts his arm around me, and says calmly, "We'll have it tomorrow. As planned. Then we can go on our next quest to save the world."  
  
I am a review junkie. Please let me know how I'm doing. 


	14. Where Loyalty Lies

Disclaimer: Mine. All mine. Um... Did you say lawsuit? OK, dammit. Not mine.  
  
A/N- Sorry it took a bit for the update. I'm having massive writer's block. To JoJo- I will have another chapter up for Hidden Secrets soon. I promise. No, onwards to the chapter!  
  
I grin at him, loving the proof of how much he cares for me. I mean, Last year it probably would have been `wedding? Ahh, we can put that off. Let's go fight corruption!' Maybe I'm being too harsh. I think we still have all the preparations we made. Now, all we need to do is check on certain people's loyalty. I hope, for all our sakes, that we'll be able to put this plan into action. If we can't, little Max is toast. I'm not going back in there. I won't be a Tinga, putting my child in jeopardy. I have Logan and Paul to think about. My face darkens with my thoughts. Logan draws me to his chest, and I let myself relax for a moment. Sometimes it's so hard to be strong.  
  
Jondy leads me back to where Brin and Jace are in custody. I see two very confused and pissed off sisters. Then Jace looks at me, and I see raw pain. Fear. And then I catch it- a slight bit of wary hope is mixed in with those emotions. My first glance at these two angry women would have told me no hope. But as I look closer, I see that they both may be willing to co-operate with us. I'm not planning on telling them about Paul. They might just use him to their advantage. Like Eva, they have to prove their loyalty. Otherwise, the asp might come back to bite us on the ass.  
  
Brin speaks first. Instead of the warrior I last came across, her voice is soft and in pain.  
  
"Let us go, Maxie. You know that we're the enemy. We've breached your perimeter. You captured us. Normally, that would give you three options. Kill us, which you won't do since we are still family. Keep us prisoners, which we you can't do because White implanted a homing beacon on Jace, here, and would be down on you like a wolf on the fold. And three, let us go. There may be more, but I don't know what they are."  
  
"Why should I let you go?" I ask, fury in my voice that is taking very little effort to manufacture. "So that you can circle back with more reinforcements, kidnap me, and turn me over to White so he can kill me and Jace's daughter?"  
  
Jace's eyes widen with pain and fear. Brin looks surprised.  
  
"We heard you talking in the clearing. Thus the reason for not removing you, wiping your memories with this nifty little device that Logan found, and dropping you to go play beach bum or something. We have a plan. The tracking device isn't a problem, now that we know about it."  
  
Brin looks interested, but then schools her face into complete non-expression.  
  
"How do we know we can trust you?" She asks, as if I am the traitor here, and not her. Jace finally speaks up.  
  
"They aren't the enemy! Can't you see that? You know that they'll kill our sister. And if they get her, they'll kill my daughter too. We have to co-operate. Even if you don't, I am. So, if you did try so desperately to get my baby girl back, then why are you so cautious now?"  
  
"Brin, we all want a happy ending. Most of the time it just isn't gonna happen. This time, it can. I'm getting married tomorrow. After that, we can go and get Maxie out of White's clutches. We can also kill him in the process. No one will know where we are. I'm assuming the only way White found out was from a little blonde bitch known as Asha?"  
  
Jace nods. My eyes turn hard. `I will kill that bitch' I think. Shaking my head, I go back to my sisters.  
  
"You have to prove yourselves. Coming to grab me takes my trust down just a bit. I'm gonna show you three of our siblings. If you can ID all three by name, and not bar code, I'll untie you. You'll be an integral part of this mission if you do, so I want honesty. I can tell if you're lying. I call my siblings over.  
  
"Hey, X5's fall in!" I shout. I know that it will bring the people I arranged to come with that command, and none of the younger ones. I am relieved, anyway, when Tinga, Jondy, Alec and Zane all show up. Krit is running the show back at base.  
  
"Brin, you first." I lead Jace about three hundred feet away, and I hear Tinga order Brin to whisper. Nodding, she takes a good look at them and gasps. "Tinga, Jondy, Ben, Zane." She says quietly, with only a minute pause at the beginning. `So, they didn't tell her about Alec, either.' I think. That was my joker in the deck. If they hadn't told her about the other unit, then they hadn't gotten her complete loyalty back. That was good. Jace's was slightly different. Until her pregnancy, her loyalty had never wavered. This being the case, the idea was to see if she could disassociate herself with the brain washing that they subjected her to after we escaped in '09. She too, ID'ed everyone correctly, and she, too ID'ed Alec as Ben. I nodded at Alec, and he untied them. Then he had to tell them that he wasn't who they thought he was. It looked to me like it hurt him as much as it hurt them. I decide to soften the blow.  
  
"It's OK! They passed the test!" I shout, and Eva materializes out of the forest. Brin turned bone white. She had seen the images of three dead siblings today. I'm guessing that if they didn't even tell her that Eva was alive, they damn well didn't tell her that Tinga was alive either. My heart turn to mush, and the `phoney sentimentality' of love for my sisters had me moving to hug them. For the first time since leaving her on that horrid bench, I embraced my sister.  
  
I sent an X6 page that was hiding in the tree to bring Logan and the rest back to the compound. A blizzard was blowing in, and with his computer wizardry, I knew that we would be safe for a few more days. I head to the house, my siblings at my side. As we walk, I outline the plan to them. 


	15. Here's to you, Mrs. Cale

A/N- I may get this story finished in the net day or two. For anyone reading any of my other stories, I've decided to finish them before I post anymore. I deleted "Hidden Stories" until I can get some editing done, but I found my outline so I can get going on it again. I need a beta reader, so if anyone wants to volunteer for me, I'll return the favor. Warning, though, I don't just write Dark Angel. Now, enjoy! Read it, review it! I am ashamed to admit how much that little number going up makes my day. Onwards!

Everyone is looking at me. I hate it when everyone looks at me. But Logan insisted I go with a traditional dress. Damn him. I do like it, though. It's ivory satin, with a spider web like crochet over top. Instead of my usual tank tops, this dress has a high collar- and is completely backless. The skirt is narrow, as wedding dresses go, and the sleeves are long and fitted. Their also separate and buttoned to the main dress. It makes me feel so delicate, so feminine. I don't know if I like that. Jondy and OC have pulled my hair back into a French roll, except for a few face framing curls. Leave it to them to find a hairdo that would actually go with these togs. Sheesh. 

Even I can't hold on to my cynicism when I look down the stairway. Logan is standing at the bottom, with a couple of white taper candles around him. I have yet to understand why people make such a big dealio over weddings, but I'm beginning to be glad they do. Logan is…magnificent. There's really no other word for it. He's dressed in black from head to toe, except for an ivory swath of incredibly starchy fabric around his middle. I almost miss a step as I drink him in.

Original Cindy, as my maid of honor, catches me just in time, and then nudges me onward. I get to the altar in one piece, and Logan moved over to hold my hand. 

I was really surprised when Bling announced that he has a JP certificate. It meant that we didn't have to bring in any outsiders for our ceremony. I stand, listen to the man who saved Logan's sanity in those first terrible days when he lost his legs, and promise to love, honor, and cherish. Logan does the same. He elbows Alec, who is standing beside him. Looking startled, and then embarrassed, he hands over the rings. Then I hear the cheesy movie words that don't quite seem so cheesy, after all.

"With this ring, I thee wed." Logan said, and slipped the plain white gold band on my finger. 

"With this ring, I thee wed." I repeat, and slide a matching one on his finger. He smiles, and bends over to kiss me. He's interrupted.

"I didn't say you could kiss the bride, yet, Logan!" Bling looks slightly aggrieved. Logan looks embarrassed. 

"I now pronounce you man and wife. Now you can kiss her."

Logan bent over, and started to kiss me. And didn't stop. It wasn't until everyone started to laugh that we came up for air. I was feeling a bit dazed. Then, amazingly, I had to kill the moment by running to the can. Again.

Logan didn't even have to hold my hair. 

We partied until 11, and then we disappeared to our room, and locked the door. 

"Well, Mrs. Cale, was that enough partying for you?" Logans eyes had a devilish glint as he unbuttoned my sleeves and sloooooowwwly slid them down my arms. 

"I don't know. I kinda hoped that we'd continue it up here. That is, unless you're too tired." I bat my eyelashes at him, grinning.

"Too tired? Are you casting aspirations on my stamina?" He looked affronted, and then he realized where this conversation was leading. All of a sudden he reminded me of the cat who got the cream.

"Well, they say men in their thirties are on the decline." 

"Max!" Then he paused. "I guess I need to prove it, huh?"

"By all means, Mr. Cale. Try me."

We didn't surface till well after lunch, and when we did, we were greeted by hoots and applause. 

"Why suga, I don't think I've ever seen ya that colour before. Good night?" OC was smirking. I hate it when she does that. 

"Where's my sisters and brothers? We need to implement the plan." I try to change the subject. Joshua decides to put my smart ass lessons to good use.

"Max and Logan getting busy, that plan?" He gives me a big doggy grin. 

Shaking my head, I wander over to the stove, where Sketchy is trying to cadge tastes from Eva. 

"Come on, just a little, please??" He whined. I can tell Eva is getting fed up. 

"Hey Sketch, there's this funny plant growing down by the far cottage. It's got some really whacked leaves. You want to go check it out?" I call to him, hoping that a wild goose chase for some weed will make him leave my big sister alone. I was right. He was out of the door in less time then it took Logan to sneak up behind me again. 

"Evil. I'm married to an evil woman." I look at him. 

"I guess so, huh." God, I love the way that lock of hair curls on his forehead. I reach up to move it. My siblings wreck the moment by tromping on in. Reality returns with an unpleasant thud. We have to go rescue my niece. Believing her mother dead, White just may decide to cut his losses. 

"When do we move?" Brin asks me. I can see that she and Zane are a little closer then they would have us believe. The same goes for Krit and Syl. I'm happy for them. 

"First off, I'm pointing out that Zane is commander this mission. I can't be, obviously, so all orders will come from him." I realize that I've just given away a secret that I didn't want to, yet. Shit. Well, maybe they won't pick it up.

"Why not? You came up with this battle plan. Why aren't you seeing it through?" Brin looks at me, and then her whole face softens. I can see that there is no hiding it from her. 

"Your pregnant, aren't you, Maxie?" Jace looks at me with sudden understanding, and I'm forced to nod. They don't ask me to tell them why I hadn't told them before. They obviously could figure it out. 

We ship out about noon. No one knows where we are going except for Joshua. It's better that way.


	16. Endings and Beginnings

The mission was almost a complete success. There was one hitch. One horrible, grueling hitch that cost us dearly. We lost Brin. It looked like it was going great. We were in, and we had little Max. At the last second, White caught on. He chased Brin down and shot her in the head, and guarded her body while her life quickly slipped away. Another sibling is dead. And yet again, I was the one who caused their death. How many times am I going to do this? How many of my sisters and brothers will die for me? I hope she knew I loved her. No one should go to death believing that they are alone. Even when our enemies surround them. There was no hope of even bringing her here, to burial. We managed to shoot White, but his cronies are still as strong as we are, and there are far more of them. We were in Boston for three weeks, and then I ordered us home. OC and everyone had to go back to Seattle, to their jobs and apartments. I hope Joshua got them home OK. I haven't called him because I don't want to risk having the call tapped. Logan calls me paranoid, but I can see that he understands. He stays close, knowing that I need his support. My sister is gone. I had her back when I thought she was lost. I just wish it wasn't for so short a time. I try to keep my bruised heart from having hope. I watched the life leak out of her in crimson rivulets from a tiny hole in her forehead. But I remember that I came back, and Eva came back. I remember that Zach came back, even if he wasn't whole. I can't get past that.

I have to get past that. White is gone. Manticore is no more. I will have a family. I have a husband. My baby is due in five months. I will hold on to my sister's memory, that fierce and intrepid warrior that she was. I will teach my heart what my head already knows. My sister is gone, but I am still here. And I will be here for Paul, and for Logan, and for everyone else I care about. I will carry on.

Five months later…

I got through these past few months with sheer will power. I look like a hippo with a stomach inflammation, and since we can't risk exposure, I haven't had a check up. There are still many organizations that would pay for me, and for my baby. This worries Logan. He can't stand the thought of something being wrong, or something happening to us. Tinga and Jace, being my de facto midwives, have assured my roller boy and I that everything is OK. They both agree that I am the same size as they were when they were nine months along. We are disgustingly healthy. Even my seizures have stopped. Of course, that could just be a side effect of all the milk I've been drinking. I hope not. I don't want this little one to have the same problems I have. I'm pretty sure that I am only having one. After all, Even Manticore can't try to make me overachieve in this area. There is no way they would have let one of their little soldiers get pregnant the normal way. At least the morning (and afternoon, and evening) sickness finally went away. It took a full three months longer then Tinga promised that it would. Paul had his own pans for me, it seems. I remind myself to give him a lecture when he makes his appearance about respecting his parents. The reminder is wasted, however, because Paul gives me a sharp kick, and then I double over. It hits me. I'm in labour. 

Logan comes upstairs, and sees me standing stock still, a puddle at my feet, and shaking like a leaf. He sends for my sisters, and then helps me to our bed. He looks even more scared then I feel. It's kind of funny, in a way. Tinga comes barreling up the stairs with Jace on her heels. They stay with me through it all. Logan, however, passes out rather quickly. It's a good thing, too. If he hadn't already been prone, I would have knocked him that way. I hear a baby cry, and reach eagerly for him. 

"Hand Paul over! I want to see him." I cry, and then I double over in another contraction. What the hell? We had already agreed that I was too small to be carrying twins. 

"I don't think you want to call this one Paul, Maxie. She's a little too feminine." Jace hands Devonny Elizabeth Cale over to a newly revived Logan, who's grinning from slightly green ear to slightly green ear. I can see another ruffles fight coming up. Paul Zachary Cale is born three minutes after his sister. Luckily, Jace had taken her back from Logan, because he passed out in another dead faint. I never knew he had such a delicate constitution.

I push my damp hair off my perspiring forehead, and then ask for my children. Happy and exhausted, I cradle one in each arm. Tinga unceremoniously dumps a bucket of ice water on Logan to wake him up again. He surfaces with a yelp. 

"Wake up, wimp. I have two babies here who want to meet their daddy." I tease him, albeit softly. I never knew that love for a child was so strong. Two babies look up at him, their pink and wrinkled faces looking displeased. 

"May I present Devonny Elizabeth" I indicate our daughter, who has my eyes and his blonde hair, "and Paul Zachary Cale." Paul has blue eyes, and tiny tufts of brown hair. I smile at my family, and I fall asleep. I will carry one. My sister and brothers would want me too. I finally have a family of my own, and we are safe. Maybe one day, we will return to Seattle. But for now, we will stay where the air is still clean, and raise our family.

Authors Final Notes: Did you like it?? Then Review it! Did you hate it? Constructively criticize it! Insulting my friends, my cat and me is not constructive, by the way. Just so you know. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. I loved seeing that little number climb. I hope to see it climb far higher!! 

Another DA fic is in the works! It's called hidden stories, and a sneak peek was up a little while ago. I'm working on it now, so I should have the first few chapters up soon. It'll take place simultaneously to this one, from Joshua's point of view. Watch for it!!

-Celtic Ember


	17. Epilogue- Hello, Seattle

A/N- All right, I know I said this story was finished, but I have a plot bunny that won't go away. This is an Epilogue, OK?  
  
I feel so old. I mean, It feels like we only moved here a few weeks ago, but it's actually been more like fifteen years. We haven't been back to Seattle at all. It kinda makes me sad. I mean, the twins are fourteen and a half, Eva is twelve, Samantha is nine, and Jack is three. In case you couldn't tell, Jack was a bit of an oops. I don't mind, though. It's kind of nice to know that one of our children is not currently capable of killing their father with their pinkie. I didn't want to train the kids in combat at all, but Logan insisted. So they join the training sessions that we hold for anyone who wants to join.  
  
The years have changed so much, and yet very little at the same time. I still haven't seen Zach, although he knows who and what he is. He's still ranching, and enjoying himself. Krit and Syl are still together, although they never bothered getting married. Zane continues to watch over us all. He was the one who managed t warn us in time to cover up our presence before the second wave of troops came to try to clear us out. Stupid, stupid people..  
  
Logan is coming down our well-worn stairs. We had to expand the house when Jack was born. Our children flat out refused to share rooms, so everyone has their own.  
  
"Hey Maxie, I was thinking." His blue eyes are more serious then normal.  
  
"What? You were thinking? Omigod!" I laugh. Teasing him never ceases to amuse me.  
  
"Oh, Ha Ha. Anyway, I realized that I never did sell my condo in Seattle. Since the heat has been off us for a while, what do you say we take the kids and show them the Rainy city? You can even ride for Jam Pony again, if you want to." He looks really hopeful. I start to think. Seattle. It would be nice to see everyone again. Communication with most of the crew has dwindled to Christmas cards. My kids only really know Original Cindy.  
  
"Is there any furniture left there?" I ask, remembering candle lit dinners and stolen kisses on the floor.  
  
"Well, you know Bling didn't bring everything. And he has been living there so I would assume so. He wrote and asked if we would house sit for him while he and his new girl could go for a trip to Australia, or something. "  
  
The idea grows on me. I want to go back and see the crew. Maybe I will even do a few runs for Normal, just for old times sake. Or maybe not.  
  
"All right. When do we leave?" I ask, laughing at the look in his eyes. I'm betting he already has the whole trip planned out.  
  
"Well, I was thinking…."  
  
Ten points to me. He does have the whole trip planned out. I knew it.  
  
  
  
We arrive in Seattle by regular ordinary plane. It seems odd not stealthily crossing the border. Tinga and Charlie, who are coming to visit Case, accompany us. He moved back here a year ago. Devonny and Paul decided to try and show off in the airport. Tinga and I had to physically separate them and then each ride heard on one of my little hotheads. Logan and Charlie both shook their heads.  
  
We rent a vehicle at the airport. Me being all sentimental, I insist on an Aztec. When we pull up to Foggle Towers, I feel really odd. It looks almost the same as it did the day we fled, right down to the broken third story window. That means that I should not be entering through the front door.  
  
"Meet you inside. Got something I got to do." I say, and run away.  
  
"Talk about memory lane." I hear my husband say.  
  
I go back to the Aztec and pull out the climbing gear I brought with me. I quickly change back into my black leather, and I sneak around the side of the building.  
  
I manage to startle my whole family when I drop through the skylight twenty minutes later. Logan saw me standing there, rope in hand, and started laughing. I strut over to him.  
  
"Did someone say memory lane?" I purr, stroking the back of his neck.  
  
"Eww! Mom, Dad, Stop it! We're gonna be scarred for life!" Reluctantly, we broke apart. There would be plenty of time to catch up. Right now, we had a city to reacquaint ourselves with, and miscreant offspring to take to the space needle. It was going to be an interesting trip. 


End file.
